Russia’s Lavrov Says US Denied Visas for Russian Journalists for UN Trip

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Sunday said the US denied visas to Russian journalists who wanted to cover his trip to New York for a UN Security Council meeting.

“A country that calls itself the strongest, smartest, free and fair country has chickened out and done something stupid by showing what its sworn assurances about protecting freedom of speech and access to information are really worth,” Lavrov said in Moscow before departing for New York, according to AP.

Lavrov hinted Moscow would retaliate in some way, saying, “Be sure that we will not forget and will not forgive.”

The State Department did not respond directly to Lavrov’s criticism but claimed the US “takes seriously its obligations as host country of the UN under the UN Headquarters Agreement, including with respect to visa issuance.”